1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to breakwater systems, and particularly to a method of dissipating water wave energy that provides a highly configurable, compact breakwater barrier with minimal material costs and increased dissipation performance.
2. Description of the Related Art
A breakwater structure or system is a natural or manmade barrier designed to reduce or dissipate the kinetic energy of waves impacting the shoreline from a relatively large body of water, such as lakes or oceans. Breakwaters help to reduce erosion of the coastline and/or provide safe harbor. Most conventional breakwater barriers are constructed as sloped mounds of rubble that follow or extend along a predetermined length of the shoreline, either onshore or offshore. Construction of such structures requires large quantities of rubble as well as substantial financial expenditures for the raw materials and labor. The raw material requirements may be an issue for some areas and countries with limited material availability. Moreover, breakwaters occupy a relatively large useable area. Additionally, while conventional breakwaters provide suitable dissipation for most types of waves, they tend to be less efficient for long waves.
When constructing certain seaside structures, such as a harbor or port, effective utilization of harbor water plan space is a significant consideration for long-term financial justification. Such a project must account for, and balance, the available space between businesses, residences, harborage, and the actual area for breakwater installation to justify and ensure returns on such a financial investment. For example, for a mean water depth of 7 m, the base width of a conventional rubble mound breakwater with an impermeable back wall can range from between 12 m and 16 m. Unfortunately, based on such a breakwater, an effective width of 10 m to 12 m at the inner side of the harbor cannot be utilized for berthing water vessels. It would be desirable to be able to provide a more compact space-saving solution that can be constructed from more readily available materials and remain cost-effective, while providing the same, or better, effectiveness as a conventional sloped breakwater.
Thus, a method of dissipating water wave energy solving the aforementioned problems is desired.